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SOCIAL MEDIA

Unfortunately, we ended up sick after our Europe trip! It was awful. My doctor said it was just a terrible upper respiratory thing, but I also ended up with an ear and eye infection on top of it. I really can't remember a time being that sick in my entire life. While, we both felt terrible, it was actually kind of nice to be forced to chill at home for a week+ after traveling. I know our pugs loved having us on the couch!

Soup Recipes 

Soup was the only thing we could eat easily. Once I was feeling better, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. Actually before we left, I made my first attempt at homemade chicken stock (I had a lot of the ingredients because of making the chicken salad recipe I shared a few weeks ago), so I made homemade chicken noodle with that homemade broth and it was incredible! I didn't really follow a recipe, so I don't have one to share. But, additionally, I tried a new to me recipe for chicken tortilla soup that was BOMB. It was so delicious, and I plan to make it frequently. 



Strange New Worlds

And since we had so much couch time, we watched a lot of TV. I have to say, I haven't really been 'into' any shows in a really long time! This Is Us was probably the last show I kept up with, and now that series is over. Mainly, we just rewatch our favorites. For example, we rewatched Person of Interest over the summer, and then just finished rewatching How I Met Your Mother. And lately, I've just been turning on Gilmore Girls. So, when we were sick, we were really desperate for something new. I signed up for Walmart+ recently because of grocery delivery, but realized that came with a Paramount Plus subscription. So we browsed what shows that has to offer, and were excited to see the newer Star Trek shows. (Also, I may or may not have rewatched Laguna Beach, haha) 

I am a medium Star Trek fan. I really liked The Next Generation, and enjoyed the Chris Pine movies. But, Blake is a much bigger fan, and especially likes the original series. We decided to watch Strange New Worlds and it's SO good. I LOVED it. It's got all the fun hijinx of Star Trek, but it's filmed so modernly and bright. All the characters are so great too. 


Savannah Half Marathon

Alright, let's talk running. Admittedly, I haven't being running. I got really burnt out on it. Plus, running in Florida during the summer is basically torture. My sister signed up for the Savannah Half Marathon in April, and when she told me about it on the phone I just signed up spontaneously. We trained together and ran a half marathon in 2020 and I just can't let her run one without me! It's too hard to go that far without a buddy. So I can't believe it, but I'm running another one. That being said, I really need to start running again. 😂



Ghost 15s

I usually get about a year with my running shoes, and here we are again needing a new pair! I'm very loyal to my Brooks. They've been such a great shoe, this next pair will be my 4th set! Signing up for a race made me realize just how worn my shoes are. The Ghost 15 is coming out this week, so I have my eye on one of the colorways. However, because the new version is coming out, the 14s are on sale...so I'm debating. Which color do you like better? I won't say which is which until you click the link to see. Comment below to vote!! I need your help 😊



Little Boy Clothes

My nephews were in need of some cool weather clothes so I did a little shopping for them. Shopping for the 4 year old was significantly more fun than for the 8 year old. Apparently this specific 8 year old boy only wants to wear gym clothes to school and refuses anything else. But I had a lot of fun picking these out for them, figures crossed they fit! 

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Walmart Sweater

Did you know there are a few Instagram accounts out there for alerting you when actually cute stuff is for sale at Walmart? I purposefully try not to follow them because they tempt to buy things I probably don't need. But, I did start seeing a line of clothing pop up here and there called Free Assembly. It's definitely a 'higher' end line. Sometimes though, those Instagram accounts show really cute stuff that I'd never see at my own Walmart. Well, when I was there this week for groceries, what do you know? There were a few racks of Free Assembly. Some of it is way too trendy for me, but when I saw this sweater....I just had to have it. Love the colors and quality. I actually had picked out another top but they were sold out of my size, so I'll be ordering it. 


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Don't forget to use Rakuten when you shop these links! It's free money, ya know?
And, let me know if you'd like me to talk about Walmart+ and whether or not the membership is worth it! I do have a referral link that gets you $20 to spend. 

-Kristen

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Life Lately #11

Friday, October 28, 2022

Because we didn't want to rent a car while we were in Ireland, we were so happy to find a bus tour that would take us outside of Dublin! This is the tour we chose, and we all highly recommend it. (Plus there is cash back if you use Rakuten!) The tour was all day. It took us to the Cliffs of Moher, a pub for lunch, a really neat seaside stop that has some unique rocks, and then into Galway - and of course back to Dublin. 

We enjoyed this tour so much, for a few reasons. Since this was our first day, it was great to be able to cat nap on the bus in between stops. I think that really helped us adjust to the time difference! Our driver was so interesting, and the bus was comfy. We happened to be visiting the Cliffs on the rainiest and windiest day possible - so you'll have a laugh at some of these pictures!  Mostly, we just enjoyed the ride! Ireland is so scenic and we got to see so much just looking out the bus window. 













-Kristen

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Cliffs of Moher Photo Diary

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

We are now Home Sweet Home after an amazing few weeks in Ireland and England! I have so much to share, but figured I start here. Here's a few photos from a great day in Dublin! We joined a tour of the Jameson Distillery and then we walked over to the Guinness Factory for another great tour, and lots of free samples.

High recommend both activities if you visit Dublin! We loved this day and had a great time. If you are traveling to Dublin, and are wondering what to wear in October - this outfit worked perfectly. Just keep an umbrella with you. 

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-Kristen

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A Day In Dublin

Friday, October 21, 2022

If you would have told me in the past that Blake and I would become coffee drinkers, I'd be so shocked! Neither of us picked up coffee drinking in our adult lives for the longest time. I can tell you the exact  time I first drank a coffee and enjoyed it. I'll remember that day vividly, ha! One day I was babysitting my nephew when he was a toddler, and I decided to take him downtown and go to the Museum of Natural History here in Tallahassee. My brother came with me for some of the morning, and he wanted to stop by a local coffee shop called Lucky Goat. He felt like he knew I would enjoy their signature iced coffee, and ordered me one. I have to say, either I was desperate for caffeine that day, or it was pretty great. 

Fast forward to today, and both Blake and I love cold brew! We drink it every single morning, and have a pretty solid combo for a delicious iced coffee. It's not unlike the coffee I got at Lucky Goat that day! We still aren't hot coffee people, but why would we want to try it when we have this delicious recipe?



First of all, we have a home cold brew maker. It's by Cuisinart and is impossibly simple to use. Basically you fill the basket with coffee grounds, fill it with water, and let it steep in the fridge for as long as you want. We usually do it overnight, and find that's pretty strong. Once you brew it, you then remove the grounds and top the dispenser off with water (because you've made a concentrate). The dispenser contains enough cold brew for several days. 

Then you do what you want with it! Here's my recipe for a 12oz mug:

Ice
4-5 pumps of Torani Sugar Free Vanilla syrup 
2 Tablespoons Half and Half
2 Tablespoons Almond Milk
Cold Brew to the top
Stir and enjoy!

And who am I kidding, I don't measure with measuring spoons - I measure with my heart. So you might like more milk or more coffee than this, but I can usually tell when it's just right by the color of the coffee. Regardless it's so goood! 

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-Kristen

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Our Low Calorie Homemade Cold Brew

Monday, October 10, 2022

One of my favorite things to share are new favorite things! Here's a couple things I've purchased in the last month, and thought were worth sharing!

Kate Spade Crossbody & Rothy's Drivers in Burgundy 

These two purchases were fun splurges for me, all in preparation for our upcoming Europe trip! This crossbody is just the right size to fit my phone, passport, and other essentials. I also wanted some comfy walking shoes, and because I love my Rothy's flats so much, I took a chance and ordered a pair of The Driver style. So cute and I feel kinda obsessed that these two items coordinate so well. 

Rothy's are great because they are washable. Plus, these will be easy slip on and off at the airport. If you need a coupon for a pair of your own, head over to the Coupons for You tab here on the blog and you can find a discount code! 

Plus! Don't forget to activate Rakuten if you shop the Kate Spade Surprise website. Not only is the Surprise Sale website my secret to great discounts on bags, but they also almost always have cash back with Rakuten. 

Kate Spade Burgundy Crossbody | Rothy's Drivers

Silicone Popcorn Maker

An absolute favorite snack of mine is popcorn! Is there anything better than watching a movie with buttery popcorn? Yes, it's buttery popcorn, with m&ms tossed in. 😋I found this great silicone popcorn maker for the microwave that works so well! Love it and highly recommend. 

Silicone Popcorn Maker

Barre Grippy Socks

Recently, I mentioned that I've really been enjoying the Peloton barre classes. Usually with barre classes, the teacher recommends wearing grippy socks. I found a set of grippy socks on Amazon that are the cutest thing ever! They look like little ballet slippers. Love them and I think it adds to the experience. 

Barre Ballet Grip Socks | Peloton Barre Classes

Soundcore Bluetooth Earbuds

Okay, I can't be the only one with weird ears that don't work with ear buds. I've tried dozens! Still, I really wanted to get a pair of ear buds to keep in my purse or for those times when over the ear headphones aren't practical. Blake and I have several Soundcore products and we love them all. So, I thought I'd give these a try. They are great! Fortunately, these come with a few different sizes of ear grip things and so they end up fitting really well! I'm not sure I could run with them, but they work really well for what I wanted them for. Again, these will be great for our upcoming trip!

Soundcore Bluetooth Earbuds | Airpod Dupe

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-Kristen

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Recent Purchases!

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Lunch is something I struggle with. We rarely have leftovers, and while I love peanut butter sandwiches...sometimes that get's old. Just as I was trying to get some inspiration for lunch ideas, my sister sent me this chicken salad recipe. 

When I say this is just so yummy, I don't even think that does it justice! It's got some unique ingredients in my opinion and it's not too mayo-y. I made it this week and both Blake and I ate off it for several days. It went great with yummy rolls from the Publix bakery and I ate it with pretzel crisps one day. But, honestly you could just eat it with a fork. 


Ingredients: 

4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken 
2 stalks of chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 diced jalapeño (skip this if you are sensitive to spicy foods)
1 cup sliced red and green grapes
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and fresh parsley
1/4 sliced almonds
3 tbsp sunflower seeds

Dressing:

3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh ginger
salt and pepper to taste

The directions are simple! Just combine all the chopped ingredients, and then add the dressing. Serve chilled! Printer Friendly recipe here.
-Kristen

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A Delicious Chicken Salad Recipe

Monday, October 3, 2022


Hello!

Hi friends! I'm Kristen, and this is the Life and Style of an early 30's Floridian living the Best Life Ever, with her husband and three pugs. Runner | Avid Reader | Small Shop Owner

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